Mad Catz lands 'Rock Band' contract

Peripheral manufacturer Mad Catz has signed a five-year contract to develop controllers for the Rock Band franchise.

The deal grants the firm the rights to create and sell controllers bearing the Rock Band branding for use with future versions of the Harmonix developed titles.

"Serving as the principal Rock Band video game peripherals partner on a multi-territory basis leverages the powerful product development and global marketing and distribution capabilities Mad Catz has built," said Mad Catz exec Darren Richardson.

"Having worked with Harmonix and MTV Games over the past two years on peripherals for Rock Band and Rock Band 2, we are thrilled to take on an even more integral role with the Rock Band franchise."

The deal includes the upcoming Rock Band 3, due to be released for Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 later this year.